In order to maintain proficiency in the use of firearms, it is common for law enforcement officers, members of the military and sportsmen to engage in target practice. While many perceive target practice as simply a method for improving accuracy, it is important for law enforcement officers and the like to conduct target practice in scenarios which improve timing and the ability to make split-second decisions on whether or not to fire. Such split-second decisions can mean the difference between life and death both for the officer and the potential threat.
In order to properly train police officers, it is important that they develop both hand-eye coordination and that they also receive sensory stimulation which is associated with actual conditions, such as feedback as to whether a potential threat has been properly handled. It is important for law enforcement officers and the like to be able to see when a target has been hit properly.
Likewise, it is also desirable for a police officer to be forced to make split second decisions on whether or not to fire. If an officer is properly trained in making firing decisions, he or she will be more comfortable with his or her ability to make a split second decision and will be able to make decisions more accurately. This can lower the risk of an officer accidentally firing at a person who is not an actual threat or hesitating too long to shoot at a person who is endangering the life of the officer or others who are nearby.
One common type of target is a pop-up target. A pop-up target is typically disposed behind a shield and includes a target which can be made to stand generally vertical. When the target is hit by a bullet, the target will fall over, thereby providing a visual stimulus that the target has been hit. An arm often engages the target and lifts it back into a vertical position to allow further shooting. Other targets may use a spring to draw the target back to the upright position.
Another type of target is a shoot through target which has distinctive “kill zones.” Such a target may provide a silhouette of a person and have cut-outs in areas where a hit would most likely be fatal (typically the head and parts of the chest). The officer often will not be able to advance until the target has been hit in the kill zone. Thus, the officer is placed under stress until he or she has properly hit the target in such a way that a real person would be incapacitated if so hit.
It is beneficial for the officer to receive prompt indication that he or she has appropriately hit the target. For example, shooting at a target and then retrieving the target to see where it has been hit is often less desirable than allowing the officer to see a visual response in the target itself immediately after the shot. Thus, for example, it is desirable if the officer can instantly know that he or she has hit the target in the desired “kill zone.” If the officer does hit the target in the appropriate location, he or she can immediately move to the next target. If the officer misses, he or she can take additional shots until the goal has been met.
In order to maximize the benefit of training, it is often desirable to change the targets between each exercise. This prevents the officer from getting accustomed to the target layout and anticipating what will be presented. However, with many existing target designs, changing the targets can be time consuming and burdensome.
Thus there is a need for an improved target which allow for rapid change out of portions of the target to provide customization of a target course in very little time and without the need for tools, etc.